The invention relates to an ESD clip for protecting an electronic device against electrostatic discharge, which clip has two mutually opposed pressure bodies interconnected by a spring for short-circuiting connection wires of the electronic device. The invention also relates to an electronic device with an ESD clip and to a method of protecting an electronic device against electrostatic discharge.
Such a clip is used for protecting an electronic device against ESD ("ElectroStatic Discharge"). Such a discharge may occur when connection wires of an electronic device are gripped and static electricity is transferred from the person gripping the device to the device via the connection wires. Such a discharge may damage an electronic device. The connection wires of the device are short-circuited in practice as a protection against such an electrostatic discharge during handling of the device. The term "connection wires" is here understood to cover conductor tracks which serve to connect the electronic device to the surroundings. These may be, for example, wires, leads of lead frames, and conductor tracks provided on, for example, a synthetic resin foil.
German Patent Application 2348630 discloses a device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph. The known ESD clip is a single-part metal structure which comprises the two pressure bodies interconnected by the spring. The pressure bodies comprise as many contact springs as there are connection wires. The known ESD clip is suitable for short-circuiting connection wires of a so-called dual-in-line envelope. A dual-in-line envelope has two parallel rows of connection wires. The known clip is provided over an upper side of the envelope, whereby each of the pressure bodies is pressed against a row of the connection wires.
Owing to the progressing miniaturization, the connection wires of electronic devices are of a comparatively weak construction. Such weak connection wires are deformed when the known clip is used, so that the electronic device is damaged and no longer fits on, for example, a printed circuit board. In addition, the known clip is suitable for dual-in-line envelopes only.